Crime
Seventh victim of New Orleans car-ramming attack identified as 18-year-old Kareem Badawi
The seventh victim is 18-year-old Kareem Badawi, a freshman at the University of Alabama.
Kareem had recently graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, where he was described as a bright and promising young man with a future full of potential.
Officials from the Episcopal School expressed their condolences, calling Kareem’s death a tragic loss for their school community and the world at large.
The University of Alabama confirmed that one of its students, Kareem Badawi, was among the victims of the tragic terrorist attack that unfolded in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, University President Stuart R. Bell expressed his condolences:
“I learned today that Kareem Badawi, one of our students at The University of Alabama, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans. I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss.”
Badawi, a freshman at the university, was a promising young man with a bright future ahead of him. He graduated in 2024 from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, where he had been a valued member of the school community.
The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge also issued a statement, announcing plans to honor both Badawi and another graduate, Parker Vidrine, who was injured in the attack. The school will hold an evening prayer session on Thursday to remember Badawi and to support Vidrine’s recovery.
“This is a time for our community to come together to mourn the loss of Kareem and to pray for Parker’s healing,” said a school spokesperson.
Both Badawi and Vidrine were members of the school’s Class of 2024, and their teachers and classmates recall them as exceptional individuals who left a lasting impact on their community.
As more victims are identified, the New Orleans community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the devastating attack, which claimed the lives of 15 people and injured dozens more. Families, friends, and communities are mourning the loss of these individuals whose lives were cut short.
Authorities continue their investigation, working to piece together the events of the attack and to support the grieving families. Further details on the victims and their stories are expected to emerge in the coming days.
A University of Georgia student remains in critical condition, and two Israeli citizens were among the injured, according to statements from their respective institutions and governments.
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the attack and the suspect’s potential affiliations with terrorist organizations. This tragedy has cast a somber shadow over what should have been a joyous celebration, as families and communities come to terms with their loss.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.